INTERVIEWS

Round 4: Defeated Jim Courier.....6-2, 3-6, 7-6(7-4), 6-3

Q. What was the problem; your shoulder, wrist, hip, blisters?
A. No, I had a blister before but I taped my toe and the tape went off and I just had to fix it. For a few days I've had a number finger sometimes and it just comes from a nerve, so Bill just tried to get my joints back in place and tried to loosen that area up, so the blood circulation could start again and I could feel the racquet better. It was just sort of a strange feeling. But everything else was okay.

Q. Thomas, it was still desperately hot out there, but were you very relieved that you didn't have to play in the heat of the day?
A. Well, if I could have sold that time, probably I could have made some money today. But I think that we were really lucky that we played at night because there was a nice breeze in the end. It wasn't really cool but it was certainly cooler than this afternoon, and I think we were lucky to play that match.

Q. Thomas, how satisfying was it for you to beat Jim tonight, apart from advancing in the tournament? He's beaten you, what, the last seven times you've met?
A. Well, the last one counts. But I think I was really focused and the desire was there to win and I was - when he won against Jeff, I was really happy to meet him because I had sort of lost in Doha because I wasn't really in shape yet. But I felt better the last days and I knew my timing was coming back and I was playing better, so I knew it was an open game. So I was really looking forward to that match, I was happy to play him, I wasn't afraid at all and I started it off really well.

Q. Thomas, some of the Spanish players were saying that the sort of humid conditions and the way this court reacts, that it is a little bit like a clay court, with a high bounce and the top spin helps?
A. Well, I think it's a bit different mixture between the bounce and the balls. But certainly I think that the balls are really good for top spin players because the ball takes a lot of spin. I think it's a really even game, we've seen good matches, even counterpunchers can really play well, so I think it's quite fair.

Q. Would that in any way help you against a player like Ivanisevic?
A. Well, a serve with 205 in the corner, it doesn't matter where you play it, it's a winner most of the time, unless you guess and you're there, but I think that's more reflex. But it doesn't matter on which surface.

Q. I guess if you can get him into rallies, it helps?
A. Yeah, but, as I said, a serve at 205 is hard to rally with. First you have to get it back.

Q. What was more satisfying for you long term tonight, the win or the way you played?
A. The way I played, because when I play well and when I can get my game together, I serve well, I make the step in and I play, focused, I can beat anybody, and that's the most satisfying thing. It doesn't matter who's on the other side, basically, that's not so important for me because I'm not playing my opponent, I'm playing the fact that the balls are on the court and I'm trying to play them and place them back, so they're not coming back any more. So it doesn't matter who is there.

Q. Thomas, have you played in a match before where there was an interruption such as happened during the first set?
A. Well, I told Paul McNamee in the break he should pay his bills, his electricity bills before he makes the tournament. But he said he paid it, so it was just a problem in the area.

Q. Did you want to continue on, Thomas, when the lights went out?
A. Well, that's a tough thing, because I was playing well and Jim wasn't there yet. But I think the light would have been too weak to play under that speed and that pressure. I think you have to see and sometimes it is maybe better that you don't see. In this case I think, yeah, it was too dark.

Q. Did that affect your momentum at all?
A. It did, because, I mean, if you're playing well like this, and he almost got back, he got a game back, and he played much better when he came out again. You have to warm up and you're sitting in here; it sort of takes away the momentum, that's right.